2015 National Volunteer Award Winers

The Bureau of Land Management presented its prestigious "Making a Difference" National Volunteer Awards for outstanding volunteer service in 2014 on BLM-managed lands on Thursday, May 28. Top BLM leaders recognized the award winners during a national event held via live video teleconference. Staff at the BLM's headquarters in Washington, D.C. hosted the conference, which connected to six states around the country.

"To carry out the day-to-day responsibilities of public land stewardship, we need the help of partners and individual citizens," said BLM Deputy Director Steve Ellis. "Last year alone, 32,000 BLM volunteers performed more than 1.2 million hours of service, valued at over $27 million. We couldn’t be more grateful for all that they choose to give to our nation and our public lands."

The annual "Making a Difference" Award recognizes exceptional volunteers who have contributed thousands of hours improving the public lands. These hard-working volunteers have helped BLM to maintain recreation trails, protect archaeological sites, provide environmental education and other visitor services, and monitor and protect wildlife and other natural resources.

A national panel of BLM specialists and partner representatives selected the award winners from dozens of nominees submitted by BLM state offices. The winners demonstrated exceptional contributions to the conservation and management of public lands.

BLM welcomes volunteers from all walks of life: whatever your interest, there's a volunteer opportunity to match. And what a great chance for families to come together with a purpose. Click here for information on specific BLM volunteer openings as listed on Volunteer.gov, a national volunteer database..